Fire closes Highway 395 south of Walker River Canyon

Smoke from a fire burning in the Walker River Canyon was visible from Topaz Ranch Estates on Monday.

A vehicle fire in the Walker River Canyon spread to the wildland on Monday morning.

Mono County and East Fork firefighters responded to the 370-acre fire burning three miles north of Sonora Junction, according to the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch in Minden.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the fire was first reported at 11:07 a.m. Officers said the fire began when a Jeep Cherokee rolled over igniting both sides of the highway. The Jeep ended up 40 feet down an embankment. The driver survived the crash and was out of the vehicle.

The fire burned up the mountainside sending a plume of smoke visible from Topaz Ranch Estates.

Caltans closed the highway at Walker, Calif., and at the junction with Highway 108.

Motorists traveling around the fire were detoured onto Highway 208 at Holbrook Junction and then south in Wellington onto Highway 338 to Bridgeport.